NFL Notes: 49ers, Dolphins, Jaguars, Packers

49ers

According to Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Packers director of player personnel Brian Gutekunst is considered a “strong candidate if not the frontrunner” to get the job.

In fact, McGinn’s source said that Gutekunst reportedly “killed” his interview with the 49ers and owner Jed York reportedly views him as “Scot McCloughan with the drinking problem.”

“It’s been Gutekunst for two weeks,” said one source close to the 49ers’ search tells McGinn. “He killed that interview. The owner says he’s Scot McCloughan without the drinking problem.”

Should the 49ers offer Gutekunst the job and he accepts it, McGinn says that Packers GM Ted Thompson is expected to let him leave immediately, even if Green Bay reaches the Super Bowl.

Dolphins

• The Dolphins promoted Darren Rizzi to associate head coach and promoted Chris Kuper to assistant offensive line coach. (Joe Schad)

Jaguars

An NFL executive tells Greg A. Bedard of SI.com that NFL owners have “absolutely no idea what they’re doing” and specifically pointed to the Jaguars’ decision to promote Doug Marrone to head coach as an example of this.

“They’ve made a lot of money in business, but it’s incredible to me how far out of their depth they really are on this,” said the executive. “They have absolutely no idea what they’re doing. Look at Jacksonville. They keep Marrone—I mean, he was an assistant head coach on that team the past two years [8–24], was he not?—and say he’s by far the best candidate. After speaking to McDaniels, Shanahan and Mike Smith? Are you kidding? He was obviously the best candidate to give that whole group another shot at proving they put together a good team and quarterback. Bulletin: They’re not that good, it wasn’t Gus’s fault. And then, after hiring Marrone, the owner hires Tom Coughlin to oversee everything. Basically he’s telling [GM] Dave [Caldwell] what to do? How else is that going? I don’t know. I think that most of these places are screwed up.”

Packers

• Bob McGinn reports that Packers executive Eliot Wolf decided to pull out of the running for the 49ers’ GM position after he became apparent that he wasn’t going to be hired.
• Source tell McGinn that the Packers have increased Wolf’s salary and intend to give him another change of titles.
• Should the Packers lose director of player personnel Brian Gutekunst  to the 49ers, McGinn expects the Packers to lean even more heavily on senior personnel executive Alonzo Highsmith and director of college scouting Jon-Eric Sullivan.
• According to McGinn, there’s even speculation that former 49ers GM Trent Baalke could join the Packers’ front office, as he’s close friends with GM Ted Thompson and grew up in Wisconsin. (NFLTR)